The First Minister was undertaking a programme of Ministerial engagements to explore how Scottish and Norwegian Governments can deepen cooperation on energy and tackling climate change, including the development of the North Sea Supergrid and Scotland’s huge offshore wind potential.
The programme aims to attract new investment and jobs to Scotland by expanding existing bonds between the two countries in the fields of oil and gas, renewables and aquaculture and fisheries.
The First Minister’s engagements in Oslo and Stavanger between Monday 16 and Wednesday 19 August, included a meeting with Statoil, the Norwegian State Oil Company, to discuss opportunities to locate the next stage of the commercialisation of the Hywind floating wind turbine in Scottish waters. Engagement with Statnett, the Norwegian state-owned enterprise with responsibility for operating and constructing the stem power grid in Norway, also took place. The First Minister discussed the possibility of Norway converting its existing hydro-electric resources into pumped storage which could be deployed in Scottish waters, as well as the opportunities for Scotland to assist in the implementation of a North Sea Supergrid
Salmond also met with Hammerfest Strøm UK and Scottish Power Renewables to discuss the next stage in the development of the most advanced tidal power unit in the world, and addressed receptions in Stavanger and Oslo to promote Scottish-Norwegian links, which was attended by key industry figures. Salmond also met with Norwegian Ministers, including Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and discussed energy links and the operation and benefits of the Norwegian oil fund.